Chapter 572

Chapter 572: NERO’S FIRST THORN

“WHYYY?!”

“P-Princess Neoma, are you alright?”

Huh?

[Dammit!]

Neoma’s conversation with Grandma Roxana was cut short.

And, as usual, she didn’t get the answer that she wanted again.

When Neoma opened her eyes, she was greeted by Juri’s worried face. She tried to get up. But she realized she was still stuck in her cute, baby form. “Juri, can you help me get up?”

.....

“Of course, Princess Neoma,” Juri said, then she immediately helped her sit up carefully. She even put a pillow on her back. “Are you comfortable, Your Royal Highness?”

She nodded her big head (literally). “Where is Empress- I mean the other baby?”

“The other baby is in the other room,” Juri explained. “Greko is with the baby. The transparent egg broke when you arrived here, then the baby fell unconscious.”

“Oh,” she said worriedly. “How is the baby now?”

“Greko was here earlier to check on Your Royal Highness,” her “daughter” explained. “He said the baby is sleeping now. After checking on Your Royal Highness, he went back to check on the baby again.”

That was a relief to hear.

[If Greko is with Empress Juliet, then I have nothing to worry about.]

“Are Paige and Jeno okay?” Neoma asked worriedly. “They fought Trevor and Gin earlier.”

“They’re both fine, Princess Neoma,” Juri assured her. “Paige and Jeno are helping the lions hide the hideout from Trevor and Gin. The baby told Miss Sharon that Trevor and Gin aren’t welcome here anymore, and the lions seem to listen to the baby.”

“Are you curious about her identity?”

“Yes, Princess Neoma,” her “daughter” said, nodding. “But if it’s something that I shouldn’t know, then it’s fine.”

“No, it’s something you all need to know because from now on, we’re going to protect her,” Neoma said seriously. “Juri, don’t be surprised. But that baby is the reincarnation of the late Empress Juliet.”

Juri gasped out loud. “Then who is the Lady Sloane that we met in the empire?”

“I know, right? That’s what I want to know, too,” Neoma said, then she raised her tiny arms since her legs were too short to walk (and she was tired). “Juri, bring me to Empress Juliet.”

***

“DO YOU think it was the tea, Hanna?”

“I think it is, but I’m not yet sure, Your Majesty,” Hanna said to the emperor politely. Then she put down the teacup that His Majesty used before he almost fainted earlier. Then she turned around to face him properly. “However, the fact that the flowers Lady Sloane used to brew the tea can’t be found in the palace is suspicious.”

“I see,” Emperor Nikolai, who was standing with his arms crossed over his chest. His gaze was fixed on the tea set on the table. “To be honest, I didn’t think it was because of the tea. I honestly believed it was because of my deteriorating body.”

She was aware that the emperor was currently losing his strength because Nero was absorbing His Majesty’s Moonglow.

It was a secret that only people close to the royal family knew.

[But is it a coincidence that His Majesty almost fainted right after Lady Sloane served him a tea that can’t be found in the palace or in the royal capital, for that matter?]

Her heart wasn’t at ease.

“I apologize for suspecting Lady Sloane, Your Majesty,” she said politely. “However, I agree with Prince Nero when he said we should be wary of Lady Sloane.”

He addressed Nero formally in front of the emperor.

“We know that it’s hard for Your Majesty to doubt Lady Sloane,” she continued. “But we still need to be vigilant. Hence, I’d like to ask Your Majesty if I could investigate the flowers that Lady Sloane used to brew the tea.”

Although she said she would only investigate the flowers used for the tea, it was still the same as doubting Lady Sloane. She was afraid that the emperor would get offended, since she knew that His Majesty treasured the former empress as a friend.

Thankfully, the emperor didn’t get upset.

“Alright,” His Majesty said while nodding. “Do what you must, Hanna.”

“Then is it alright if I invite some of my friends from the academy here, Your Majesty?” she asked carefully. “I could meet them outside, but Prince Nero told me to never leave your side until he returns.”

And she thought her presence could serve as the emperor’s protection from Lady Sloane.

She didn’t want to doubt the former empress because even her father only said good things about Her Majesty.

But seeing Lady Sloane in a compromising position with the emperor was weird.

“You may do so,” the emperor said. “If you need something, come to Geoffrey Kinsley. I don’t have a new chamberlain yet, but you can rely on him in the meantime. I’ll tell him to provide you with anything you might need.”

She smiled and bowed politely. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“It’s nothing,” Emperor Nikolai said. “This is the least thing I can do for my daughter-in-law.”

‘Daughter-in-law.’

Hanna was happy to hear the emperor acknowledge her as his daughter-in-law. But on the other hand, she felt a pang in her chest.

[I don’t know how long I’m going to be your daughter-in-law, Your Majesty.]

***

“IT WAS our family doctor.”

Nikolai clenched his jaws after hearing Rufus Quinzel’s report regarding the affair within House Quinzel at the moment.

Right now, the duke was in his office while giving his report to me.

[It was fast, but it was what I expected from Rufus.]

“Before Prince Nero left, he told me that only one person could touch our body and secretly steal our Seeds without getting caught,” Rufus said, his expression dark. “I’ve thought about it hard until I realized that His Royal Highness was correct. The only person who could touch us was the family doctor.”

“Your family doctor is your maternal uncle, right?”

His cousin let out a sigh. “Yes,” he said grimly. “I went to his house to confront him. I didn’t bring my knights with me. But he ran away as soon as he saw me as if he already knew why I was there.”

“Did you catch him?”

“Of course,” Rufus said. “He’s currently locked up in my mansion. I already began my interrogation, but he still refuses to talk. I don’t want to resort to violence because he’s still a family member. But at this rate, I don’t think I can hold back anymore.” His cousin’s expression darkened even more. “After all, he also used to check on Hanna’s condition back when my daughter was still sickly.”

Ah, yes.

That was more than enough for his cousin to lose his cool.

[If I were Rufus, I’d lost it as well.]

Of course, he already made a move, too.

[My doctor, Marcus, is currently being interrogated by the Fletcher Twins.]

“Your Majesty, should we inform the other noble households about this matter?” Rufus asked worriedly. “According to Princess Neoma’s report, it’s not only House Quinzel. The crows might have planted a spy in every noble household in order to steal the Seeds or Beads of talented individuals that caught the crows’ attention.”

“Let’s do that after we gather some solid evidence,” Nikolai said. “Right now, the Fletcher Twins are interrogating Marcus. He’s been my physician since I was young. I trust him, but I want to make sure that I can continue trusting him. After all, he has checked on Nero and Neoma’s condition before, too.”

It wasn’t easy to doubt Marcus.

[But if Kyle could betray me, then anyone could betray me at this point.]

He was just consoling himself with the fact that if Marcus was innocent, then he had nothing to worry about.

Rufus looked like he was about to say something, but stopped when they heard a noise.

Then, much to their surprise, snow suddenly poured from the dark sky.

[A snowstorm?]

It wasn’t an ordinary snowstorm, though.

“Is it just me or the snowstorm is caused by Lady Roseheart?” Rufus asked, confused. “I can feel Lady Roseheart’s Mana in every drop of snow falling from the sky. And she’s not hiding it.”

What Rufus said was correct.

And Nikolai could see why.

His eyes turned glowing red as a response to the powerful divine power scattered in the sky that only people with strong divine power like him could see.

“The new saint,” Nikolai said. “The new saint has been born already.”

***

“FOR A HOLY ITEM, this one sure reek of malice,” Nero said while holding the silver choker that he removed from Dahlia’s neck earlier. “You brought an interesting item with you, Calyx Dalton.”

“The fun was just about to begin, but you caught me already,” Calyx Dalton said, laughing. “Did you miss me that much, Prince Nero?”

“I didn’t, but I’m glad to see you right now,” he said, smirking while looking at the crazy bastard’s bleeding face. The cut was deep, pleasing him. “I hope it scars.”

“This is something that a premium healing potion can heal, but if Your Royal Highness is into guys with scars, then I’ll gladly keep it.”

.....

Nero immediately lost his smirk out of disgust. “Crazy bastard.”

“Prince Nero, you’re not creative when it comes to cursing, are you?” Calyx asked, laughing. “Is “crazy bastard” the only curse word you know?”

“Shut up,” he said, snapping his fingers.

Sev, his ice wolf, appeared and immediately attacked the crazy bastard.

But Calyx Dalton just laughed and snapped his fingers, too.

Then Kingston- the White Lion- appeared and blocked Sev. Now, the two beasts began fighting each other.

Hence, this time, Nero summoned Zeru.

His ice phoenix materialized in the form of a beautiful ice sword.

Turning his Soul Beast into a literal weapon was something that he had learned from Neoma by watching her turn Tteokbokki into different kinds of weapons in the past.

Calyx Dalton also drew his sword this time.

“Dahlia, leave this to me. My mother might need your assistance, so please come and help her take care of the queen and the new saint,” Nero said to Dahlia who was standing behind him. However, he didn’t hear a response from her. Hence, he looked over his shoulder. “Dahlia...”

He trailed off when his eyes met a pair of glowing red orbs.

His eyes went wide.

[A god...?]

A man with glowing red eyes looked like he was made of melting wax. And that disgusting person’s hands were covering Dahlia’s mouth.

Worse, Dahlia was already unconscious.

The Black Witch was in no way weak despite being young.

But the fact that Dahlia wasn’t able to get out of the stranger’s grasp only confirmed his fear: it was a god.

And based on his appearance...

“Callisto de Luca,” Nero growled lowly when he remembered the detailed report that he read regarding Callisto de Luca’s appearance lately. “How dare you-”

“The Black Witch has a pretty interesting ability that I need, so let me borrow her in the meantime,” Callisto de Luca said in a voice that sounded like it came from under the ground. “Don’t worry, I won’t kill her since I don’t want you- our future emperor- to break down early.”

Nero couldn’t swing his sword carelessly because Callisto de Luca was hiding behind Dahlia.

Hence, he tried to come at the god who was starting to turn translucent already.

However, his movements were restrained when Calyx Dalton hugged him from behind very tightly.

Nero tried to break out of his grasp but to no avail.

[This crazy bastard’s physical strength isn’t normal!]

He had no choice but to drop his ice sword and summon Zeru in his Soul Beast form.

“Your Excellency, see you later!” Calyx Dalton said cheerfully. “I’ll take care of Prince Nero!”

Callisto de Luca just laughed, then he disappeared with Dahlia.

“No!” Nero yelled, gathering his Mana in order to create an explosion. “Dahlia!”

***

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